Frame Generator

[johnshort]

Inventor 2013, Win 7-64

To start wirh, I'm not real familiar with iParts, so Is it possible to create an i Part/Assembly from an assembly created using the frame generator?

Lets say for example a triangular communication tower, having legs = 2" diameter, horizontals = 3/4" diameter and diagonals = 7/8" diameter and and an overall section height of 10 feet.

That's the easy one, as I would also like to do the same with a tower that uses schifflerized angle legs and angle steel, but those I'll sort out later.

Since there are so many variations for this, I'm looking for the easiest way to make it work. The legs, horizontals and diagonals size can all vary quite a bit in reality.

[cbenner]

As far as I know, you cannot do this with a Frame Generator assembly.  An I-Assembly basically works by swapping out either Instances of an i-part, or individual parts that have the same i-mates to hold all of your constraints.  Each piece of a Frame Generator frame is a separate part (ipt) file.  They are not held together by assembly constraints but rather tied to the skeleton sketch.  So, first there would be no other part to swap with in your i-assembly, and second there would be now way to tie it to the skeleton.

I think your easiest route, honestly, if you have that many variations of profiles, legths, widths, heights andgles, etc... is to build each assembly as a standalone.  You can use Vault copy design, Design Assistant, or (so I hear) i-copy to copy one design and then modify it to a new one. 

[swhite]

Yes and no. tried it once, the problem is that it then no longer retains the FG changeability, it becomes one or the other. Best bet, design copy and change as needed. Just copy all the parts, not reuse them.

[Cadmanto]

For what you are doing frame generator will not work with ipart/iassembly factories.

Currently there is an idea in the Inventor IdeaStation that is suggesting for frame generator components to be reused.

Once that is implimented that you can do what you are wanting to do.

Unfortunately at this point in time you are best to either do a file save as to create all of your assembly variations or if you have vault do a copy design.

Sorry I don't have better news.

If this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".

Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudos are appreciated. Thanks!!!! 

     

[cbenner]

Hmmm.  Looking at this deeper.  We sometimes build our more complex frames in sections and then assemble them in a "parent" frame assembly using ordinary constraints.  Each sub-assembly then has it's own FG frame and skeleton.  I suppose if you did a parent level and assembled in multiple versions of each sub-assembly, you could then control which ones were used with an i-assembly.  Theoretically.

The catch is, since you have to build each sub-assembly from the ground up and the put several of them together in one big "parent" assembly.... is it worth it at that point?

[Cadmanto]

Chris,

To piggy back off of what you wrote I suppose that depending how you contructed this, construct what you can with FG and then insert the variable parts seperately.  Then those parts can go into a factory and be interchanged out.

I hope this makes sense.

If this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".

Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudos are appreciated. Thanks!!!! 

     

[swhite]

Yah, we build oil drilling platforms and deriks so I feel your pain :). You are better off just design copying the entire FG assembly and going in and changing the parts that need changed. Would be nice if like iparts cld just specify a rig and have the parts change to the preset parts, one rig fits all sort of thing, but alas we may have to wait till 2015 for that one 🙂